1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a tray for movable attachment to a seat on an aircraft or the like, and more particularly to a seat supported reading or meal tray that includes a collapsible support panel for supporting a book, magazine, or another type of reading material at an incline for hands-free convenience.
2. Background Information
Passenger air lines usually have a seat back tray available for each passenger. The tray is typically attached to the back of the seat immediately in front of the user. The tray pivots on the seat back, so that it may be stored against the seat back or folded down for use by the passenger. Most airline passengers use the tray to hold dishes of food and cups or cans of beverages during snack or meal time. Some passengers also use the tray as a desk, for example, for supporting a laptop computer, hand-held personal digital assistant, or notepad.
On long flights, passengers must watch television or in-flight movies, eat, write, type, or otherwise work for a prolonged period of time, since for safety reasons airlines discourage passengers from leaving their seats except to use the facilities. With regard to reading, holding a book, magazine, or other type of reading material for hours can be tiresome. Thus, there is a need for a versatile tray on which a passenger can set cups or dishes, or alternatively prop up his or her reading material. The present invention is a versatile tray for attachment to a seat of an aircraft or the like, which includes a collapsible support panel for supporting reading material.